Threatened Imperators?

HufnPuf

Arachnosquire
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i had a question regarding the telson of the P.imp and was trying to do a little reading up for my own knowledge as i didnt find the answer here (or didnt search for it correctly) and i came across this:

http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/animals1/scorpion/empscorp.html

bunch of Emp stuff you all know but this is what caught my eye:

ENEMIES

The emperor scorpion's main enemy is man. Overcollection by pet owners has greatly reduced their numbers in Togo and Ghana. They are on the CITES II species list as threatened.
i bought my Emp from Petco...i hope he was captive bred :confused: knowing how cheap Petco is i'm sure he was, prolly in an old coleslaw container and fed on freeze-dried crix...lol! but did you all know that the Emp is threatened in those countries...? makes me a sad panda.

my question, since i'm here, is:

have you ever seen an Emp use it's telson to subdue prey or is it merely a defensive measure?

anyway, i love these scorps-makes me sad to think they are being over-collected. this is a great hobby but i don't agree with the idea of collecting them in the wild till there are no more...thoughts?
 

Bayushi

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it takes alot to get an emp to sting. I've seen some 2I emps use their tail as a club, but i think i've only witness a sting once or twice to subdue prey.

oh and technically they aren't being over collected since they are CITES listed and have an exportation cap on their numbers.
 

Crono

Arachnobaron
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CITES and exportation caps don't mean much when the people who should be looking at the animals in question don't know or don't care, as long as the paperwork clears.

The best way to prevent overcollection is to begin breeding species yourself and buying CB scorps from others. It really takes stress off natural populations.
 

Mr. Mordax

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Yeah, and captive-bred in Petco? I don't think so. In one of my first threads on AB, someone replied that 99% of scorps sold in non-specialty shops are WC adults.

I have some WC-emp guilt, myself, and I'm frustrated that my female appears to be past breeding age. I'm trying to redeem myself by rearing and later breeding some slings I got from Thaedion.
 

HufnPuf

Arachnosquire
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interesting Bayushi! specially the clubbing part {D


thanks for the feedback everyone...
i will have to just breed these guys to offset my WC guilt.

NO MORE PETCO FOR ME!!! :mad:
 
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Mr. Mordax

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I wouldn't say no more Petco forever -- I get some decent supplies there sometimes (hides, coco fiber, things like that). My favorite thing to do is educate the staff while I'm there. :D Thanks to me, more than a few Petco people know how to sex giant millipedes for example.
 

Galapoheros

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I fed the two really big ones I bought yesterday (the ones I mentioned in another thread). Each crushed an adult B. dubia roach with their chela. Then they slowly reached over with their telson and found a soft spot to inject venom. Then, like other scorps I see, they seem to freeze for 2 or 3 seconds as if to see if they did the job. Maybe that's more typical of Forest Emps if that's what these are. I don't see my other Emps do that very often. They don't try to sting me though, even when handling, but I have been stung. Doesn't hurt much. My Flatrocks give the crickets I feed them a poke almost every time too, even if the prey is pretty small, and tend to pinch in defense before they will sting just like the emps.
 

EAD063

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Good post, read my mind. ;) Big dubias get clubbed by forest scorpions all the time.

We never see large scorpions sting they're prey because it isn't necessary for them and is inpractical....why run home to get a bat, when you can knock the guy out with one punch? But, as said above, when you feed scorpions prey larger or equal to they're size, it will get stung. But many people just use crickets. ;)
 

Brian S

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They may or may not be threatened but this is why it is important that we try to breed them. Besides that is the most rewarding part of the hobby
 

Bayushi

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That's why i'll always breed P imps. even if most people think they are a crap species.
 

Brian S

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That's why i'll always breed P imps. even if most people think they are a crap species.
If they ever close the gates to exporting them into this Country they will not be thought of as a crap species at all as the CB will be all there is. This could actually happen someday and that is why I keep saying all the Emp fans need to breed them so they will always be with us. Besides, anyone in their right mind would buy CB babies over getting WC from Petco anyday.
 

Bayushi

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one of my big females passed away yesterday. I only had her for about 6 months. luckily she popped out a brood of 19 before passing on. buying WC scorps is questionable at best cus you don't know how long you will have them.

So yeah i'm all for captive breeding of any species..
 

Gsc

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Like brain said...IF exports ever did cease...the demand and prices would jump sky high...honestly they are a cool scorpion. Since they are so easy to get, many hobbyists turn their noses up at them.

A good case example are Solomon Island Skinks (aka Monkey Tail Skinks)...years ago they were mass imported into the US hobby...wholesale prices dropped as low as $15 - $20 ea... They retailed for $60-$80.

They are a very social creature...SLOW breeders...very small litters (just a few young)....

Exportation was closed on them...Prices are now VERY high for waht animals are left in the trade...CB ones are even rarer... I believe I saw a pair for sale the other day at $1000/pr... They all tend to range $400-$500 each now most the time for the LTC animals....

CB BABY EMPERORS are cute...easy to care for...etc... they are great. I hope people continue to work for them...it would be a huge loss to the hobby if they dissapeared from it!


Just my 2 cents...
 

beetleman

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That's why i'll always breed P imps. even if most people think they are a crap species.
ive always loved the emps, they are big/easy to care for and with all of my different scorps i have,i still have emps aswell,they are the classic scorp in any scorp collection:worship:
 

LoganVivisected

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I am manager of the reptile department (includes arachnids) at a local pet store here (called the pet warehouse) and all of our aracnids, amphibians and reptiles are CB, so not all pet stores are bad, just the large corporate chains. We buy all of our animals from breeders so that we have birthdates and info like that to give to people who ask, which unfortunately most people (especially the impulse arachnid buyers "oh that looks awesome!" dont even bother), and I always try to tell people the proper set ups for there animals when they buy them. I have even pointed people in this sites direction when they come back for more because they find out how neat some of the animals are.

I just wanted to throw that in.
 

Gsc

Arachnobaron
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I am manager of the reptile department (includes arachnids) at a local pet store here (called the pet warehouse) and all of our aracnids, amphibians and reptiles are CB, so not all pet stores are bad, QUOTE]

I've worked in tons of petstores and reptile speciality shows over the years... CB scorpions are RARE unless a customer brings unexpected babies in from a wc animal they had purchased from you (this is usually the case with emperors)...so y'alls store sells CB scorpions with birthing info? Waht species... The only CB scorpions that every now and then show on on wholesalers lists are Emperors, Asian Forest Scorpions and Flatrocks- this is ONLY because these importers bring in HUNDREDS (if not thousands) at a time. Of course gravid WC females pop... the babies are seperated out and sold as "Captive Bred"...

Its VERY cool your store buys CAPTIVE BRED scorpions from LOCAL breeders.....

Keep up the good work.
 

JungleGuts

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only time ive seen an emp sting is when i put a H. spinifer in the tank:razz:
 

LoganVivisected

Arachnosquire
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I've worked in tons of petstores and reptile speciality shows over the years... CB scorpions are RARE unless a customer brings unexpected babies in from a wc animal they had purchased from you (this is usually the case with emperors)...so y'alls store sells CB scorpions with birthing info? Waht species... The only CB scorpions that every now and then show on on wholesalers lists are Emperors, Asian Forest Scorpions and Flatrocks- this is ONLY because these importers bring in HUNDREDS (if not thousands) at a time. Of course gravid WC females pop... the babies are seperated out and sold as "Captive Bred"...

Its VERY cool your store buys CAPTIVE BRED scorpions from LOCAL breeders.....

Keep up the good work.
A local colubrid breeder also breeds redclaws and imps, which we buy from him. Thanks for the lovely dose of sarcasm, but you can shove your attitude. :)
 
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